Game apparatus.



H. L. WITTSTEIN.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11. 1915.

Patented July 13, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEETI ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES:

H. L. WITTSTEIN.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-17. 1915.

1 145 g9; Patented July 13, 1915.

EETSSHEET 2.

Flag/ Flag/s w W W 22 M Zgg/J 09w Zhys f rwmdms WITNESSES: HY V EN TOR. fizmlm%w W ?4. WM BY 1/ 7 4 A TTORNE Y.

H. L. WITTSTEIN.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I7. 1915.

Patented. July 13, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 [N V EN TOR.

WITNESSES:

A TTORNE Y.

I der GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1915.

Application filed March 17, 1915. Serial No. 15,047.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERMAN L. WITT- STEIN. a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city of Springfield, county of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game apparatus for playing football in miniature unscore controlling conditions which closely approximate those governing a match between two well balanced teams.

Game apparatus based on football has heretofore been used. The prior games have not. so far as I am aware, found any considerable favor because the score controlling conditions were not of a character to permit a close contest between players. In other words one side or the other would run up such a large score that interest in the game was lost. In addition the mechanical part of the apparatus was not constructed to give any satisfactory action in the play.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus for simulating football under regular playing rules to the end that the players may instinctively acquire a knowledge of the rules. may exercise judgment in manipulating the game under the regular rules, thus training their minds for actual play, and in other respects become mentally what are known as born players.

Another object Off the invention-is to provide a mechanical game apparatus for playing football in miniature by the use of which a close approximation to actual scoring chances between well matched teams is nec essarily obtained.

A further object is to provide in such a game apparatus mechanical score controlling means which will so average the progress of the two sides that interest will be maintained by a comparatively close score.

Another object is to provide in such a game mechanical apparatus the use of which will require a large degree of action in the play.

Still another object is to provide a mechanical kicker available in the play for equivalents of kick ofl s, drop kicks, field goals, kick outs, etc.

Other objects will appear in the detailed descriptions and annexed claims.

For illustrative purposes I have shown in field. showing in miniature scale a ootball.

field properly laid off for play, the goal posts, line men, football, tee, ball, mechanical kicker, score board, and counter for downs; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the main spinner; Figs. 3 to 5 are plan views respectively. of spinners for end, center, and forward pass plays; Figs. 6 to 8 are plan views respectively of spinners for opposing end, center, and forward pass plays; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the football tee; Fig. 10 is a cross section taken on line 1010, Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a vertical cross section of the score board shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 12 is a side view of the kicker; Fig. 13 is a section thereof taken on lines 1313 of Fig. 12; Fig. 14 is a cross section taken on line 1414 of Fig. 12.

Referring to Fig. 1, the game board 1 is made of any suitable material, preferably of wood or cardboard and the regulation football playing field is marked off as indicated in the figure. The goal posts 4, each comprising two uprights and a cross bar, are preferably removably arranged one at each end of the field. The line men 7 each comprise a suitable stand on which rests an upright and the representation of a man. The two uprights are joined by string 8 corresponding to the distance to be gained in a given number of downs. On one side of the playing field the score board is arranged. Itsconstruction is shown in Fig. 11. The two uprights 5 are joined by the cross board 9 having longitudinal T-slots therein to receive the markers 10. The latter represent the names of the two sides and the score made in the several periods of play as shown in Fig. 1. A marker 3 cooperates with the appropriate designations of downs '2'at each end of the field. The kicker construction is best shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14 On a suitable stand 13 an upright 6 representing in side e1evation the outline of a football player is rigidly mounted. A kicking leg 14 is fixed to a pin 15 which extends crosswise through a hole of larger diameter in the upright 6. On the side opposite the leg 14 a handle 18 is fastened having extensions above and below pin 15. A spring 17 with one end fastened to upright 6 is wound around the pin 15 with its other end permanently or removably in engagement with the projection or pin 16 in the leg 14. The spring is normally wound loosely on pin 15 to permit it to contract and expand whlle performing its function. A headed pm 20 is mounted crosswise of upright 6 and is pressed outwardly against a suitable stop toward leg 14 by spring 19. The outer end of pin 20 is arranged to enter any one of a series of ratchet slot recesses 29 the deep end of which ends at a holding shoulder.

The operation of the kicker is as follows: With the parts in the position shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the leg 14 with pin 15 is retated clockwise, the engagament of pin 16 with spring 17 will wind the latter and the pin 20 rides over the ratchet recesses 29. When leg 14 and spring 17 have been thus wound the pin 20, when the leg 14 starts to unwind, will engage the shoulder of one slot 29 and hold the leg from further movement. Now, whenever it is desired to operate kicking leg 1.4 the player with fingers engaging handle 18 presses his thumb on the head of'pin 15 to move the latter as faras possible and thus move the leg 14 bodily away from holding pin 20. The spring 17 is now free to unwind and it rapidly rotates leg 14 for its kicking action. The pin 15 preferably turns in its head 31 so that the pressure of the thumb against said head will not retard the turning movement of the pin. It is apparent that the leg 14 by this construction may be wound through a small or large angle in accordance with the degree of kick desired by leg 14. Thus the kicker is distinctly adjustable for kicks of different lengths.

The football tee 11 is preferably made as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 with an angular base and a vertical recess 12 in its vertical portion. The ball 30 is preferably shaped like a football and is adapted to rest at varying angles in the top of recess 12. The latter is filled with flour or other suitable substance so that the ball will be spotted and thus when it hits the playing board of a.

suitable contrasting color, will leave a'mark to avoid discussion as to where the kick ended. The base of the kicker 13 at its forward end is suitably shaped (in this case by an angle piece cut out therefrom) to permit the tee 11 (in this case formed with an angular base) to be accurately and readily positioned for the ball thereon to be kicked by he kicked, or, the goal line it may be kicked out. The

The spinner 20 is divided into segments in which a large number of various plays are indicated. These plays are preferably made up by determining the actual occurrences in a match between well balanced teams where the score has been close. A few of these are indicated in the figure. By choosing a large number the plays are necessarily averaged to about what occurs in a good football game. In order to vary the play a series of spinners are provided as shown in Figs. 3 to 8. These are preferably arranged in pairs, each pair having an appropriate index as end plays and opposing end plays. The segments of these spinners will in one case call for the direction or conditions under which the ball may start, for example, in an end play quarter back around right end. The opposing spinnerwill in its segments have indicated plays to stop the progress of the end play as tackled two yards gain. Of course a great variety of plays may be indicated on the spinners and to make the game interesting the plays should be carefully chosen to keep the score close.

With the apparatus described, the game is played as follows: Each player may choose his college or team which is indicated by the marker 10 on the score board. The regulation football rules available in Spauldings publication are used to govern the play so far as may be. The ball 30 is placed on its tee 11 and after the players have tossed for the wind the kicker is used to kick off. The ball leaves a mark approximately where it lands and is placed on its tee and put into action by the use of the spinners as described, always following the regulation rules. The appropriate down and the distance to be gained are respectively kept by the counter 3 and the line men 7 which are preferably manipulated by the player on the defensive. The use of the. kicker is particularly valuable for the side having possession of the ball, in that by its use the possible plays can be increased and the score kept within bounds. In the progress of the game as controlled by the spinners the player may at any time choose to punt or try for a field goal. After a touchdown has been made the goal may if on a punt the ball crosses kicker in other words puts the additional action into the play to the same degree that the rule permittin kicking in the actual game of football oes. Thus, I have provided a game closely simulating the actual game of football,'governed to a very large degree by the regulation rules of that game, which requires reference to the regulation rules in order to play it properly, which has a kicker to propel the ball in flight over the playing field, which permits visible action as the game progresses, and which because of the large variety of plays possible will allow the players to exercise their judgment in scoring.

While the game apparatus is primarily designed for the rules as described it is clear that various other rules may be made to increase interest in the play. In order to keep the play Within as close limits as possible to the conditions of a regular match it may be desirable to limit the distance from which a drop kick may be attempted.

Of course the apparatus provided does not necessitate the playing of the game as described above or by any one set of rules. However,it is my purpose to provide by this invention an apparatus which may be played along the lines described and to this end the various combinations of mechanical helps are useful. I do not, however, desire to limit my invention to the specific form shown or to the specific rules stated for the invention is defined in its proper scope by the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination in a game apparatus, a playing board marked off to represent a football field, a ball, a tee therefor, a mechanical kicker arranged to propel the ball from the tee for flight over the playing field, said kicker and tee being constructed and arranged to operate from any point on the field.

2. The combination in a game apparatus,

i a playing board, a ball, a tee therefor, a mechanical kicker, arranged to propel the ball from the tee for flight over the playing field, said kicker being constructed and arranged to operate from any point on the playing board and operable to kick long or short distances, as desired.

3. The combination in a game apparatus, a playing board marked off to represent a football field, goal posts one for each end of the field, a miniature football, a tee therefor on which it may be placed, a mechanical kicker operable to propel the ball from its tee for flight over the goal posts from various positions on the board.

t. The combination in a game apparatus, a playing board marked off to represent a football field, a miniature football, a tee therefor on which the football may be placed at various angles, a mechanical kicker operable to propel the ball from its tee for flight over the board, said kicker being adjustable for various length kicks whereby the ball and the kicker may be adjusted to obtain the desired flight of the ball.

5. The combination in a game apparatus, a playing board, a ball, a tee therefor adapted to contain means to spot the ball as it rests thereon, a means to propel the ball from the tee for flight over the board, all constructed and arranged so that the spot on the ball will indicate on the board the distance of the flight.

6. The combination in a game apparatus, a tee having an angular base and adapted to support a ball, a mechanical kicker having a base with means to embrace one angle of the tee base, whereby the kicker may be readily and properly positioned for operation with respect to a ball on the tee.

7. In a game apparatus, a mechanical kicker, comprising a supporting standard, a pin horizontally mounted therein and arranged for rotatable and longitudinal movement, a kicking element fixed near one end thereof to said pin, a spring having one end fastened to the standard coiled around said pin and the other end attached to said kicking element, one or more ratchet teeth on said element, a spring pressed latch mounted in said standard and arranged for limited movement to engage a ratchet tooth to hold said element from rotating in one direction, said spring being arranged to normally hold the element into engagement with said latch, and finger pieces on the standard whereby said pin may be conveniently shifted longitudinally by finger pressure on the pin braced by a hold on said finger pieces to shift said element out of engagement with said latch, all constructed and arranged so that the kicking element may wind the spring and the latter may quickly turn the element in kicking action when the pin is shifted to release the latch.

8. In a game apparatus, a self-contained mechanical kicker operable from any position on a playing field, comprising a supporting standard, a leg pivoted thereon, spring means operable to rotate the leg and -means on the standard to hold the leg against rotation, all constructed and arranged so that the leg may be released from said last-mentioned means when desired.

HERMAN L. WITTSTETN. 

